The Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro reacted with anger to a video shared by the president of the United States, Donald Trump, in which he mocked the Bolivarian Militia by showcasing an image of an overweight woman during military exercises.
Maduro used a public event broadcasted on state television to respond to the U.S. president, stating that the militia will be “the terror of the empire” if Washington decides to escalate its confrontation with Caracas.
“Those women with those rifles will be your terror, empire!”, exclaimed Maduro, raising the tone of his speech and wrapping himself in the rhetoric of Chavismo that associates national defense with a supposed anti-imperialist resistance. However, he took great care not to direct his indignation towards Trump, with whom he intends to reach an understanding through a letter in a much more diplomatic tone.
In his address, the Chavista leader referenced historical phrases attributed to Simón Bolívar and asserted that the Bolivarian Militia is today the embodiment of the "liberating army" in the 21st century.
"I have been able to say with Bolívar: fortunately, every day I see millions of women with rifles in their hands overcoming and confronting powerful empires," declared the leader surrounded by the regime's elite in what appeared to be command center inside a bunker.
The Minister of Defense, Vladimir Padrino López, also participated in the event, presenting the militia as a guarantor of sovereignty and downplaying criticisms regarding its political-party nature.
Maduro's reaction comes one day after Trump mocked on his Truth Social network the readiness of the Venezuelan militia, labeling a video that quickly went viral on social media as a "very serious threat."
The Bolivarian Militia, created in 2008 by Hugo Chávez and strengthened by Maduro, claims to have more than four million members, although experts and opponents question both its numbers and its actual operational capacity.
Various human rights organizations have noted that their role goes beyond military functions, acting as a means of social control in neighborhoods and communities.
In a context of growing tension between Washington and Caracas, Maduro's response aims to demonstrate firmness against Trump, although the international ridicule of the video exposes the fragility of his communication strategy.
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